Feminism (?) (!)

       I have heard the word (feminist) or some derivation or pejorative (femi-nazi) banded about in the media or my social community for years, but really couldn't put my finger on it.  Well, as my students are working on research projects around the end of the Victorian Era (and its influences in the United States) and the heart of the Progressive Era, I came across the term in our textbook.  It dawned on my that the first wave of feminist came about with Margaret Sanger, Alice Paul, and the ladies of this era.  In my Master's level Historiography and (oddly) a Foreign Policy course a few years back, the topic turned to the different waves of feminism in American history, and their use as a lens to study the era and aspects of influence. 
      Second Wave feminism comes about during the turbulent times of change in the 1960s and after.  The push was to unite women the world over under a common agenda, and in rebellion to the 1950s conformity.  Ok, fast forward.  Third Wave feminism is, arguably of course, what we are in right now.  Some wonder if we are not entering a fourth, but I don't understand it well enough to make that call, I can only report what I hear. 
      Now, to cross streams of thought.  I am a huge fan of the singer Pink.  I prefer strong, edgy girl singers.  Oddly, I also adore Taylor Swift (its my inner Tween heart, looking for simple love).  But, when I saw her latest video this past week, the video for "Try".  Her words are always powerful, and speak to me of a batter heart.  But, when I saw the beauty of her body (well toned and sculptured), the dance she and her partner do in the video, the simplicity of the background, and then compare that to the violence they perpetrate on each others bodies.  It immediately took me back to Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie".  Pink (and Eminem) have both spoken to abuse in relationships, of hurting (physically) their partners.  Rihanna has been openly in an abusive relationship.  When Eminem raps about abuse, it is a man writing of a masculine anger in a sense that many will recognize, and fits a traditional mold.  When Pink speaks of fighting with her husband or a lover, you get the sense of an empowered woman who is strong enough to stand up for herself.  But, this video made me wonder:  Is this fourth wave feminism?  Or is this third-wave continued, played out?  When the first wave women are fighting for a declaration of marital rape, control of their own sexuality, and a voice, now what is the goal of feminism?  Pink, Katy Perry, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, etc, seem to have taken up the gauntlet for female sexuality, but are demanding more.  It's complicated.  They want to be left alone.  They don't want to be a voice for feminism and equality in the traditional sense.  They want to be judged on their own merits.  They are open with their failures and back down to no man.  So, are they 3rd or 4th?  I don't know. . . . If it helps, compare first wavers in Iron Jawed Angels, second wavers with  Janis Joplin in concert in 1970, and then Pink, as our latest (?) wave.  I know, I just presumed that she is third wave. . .

"Is BET Reverse Racism?"

       This is touchy and difficult question and concept.  Racism is acting on a set of beliefs that based on the concept of race.  So what is race?  That is hard to explain, and becoming more fluid.  Scholars are not sure they want to pin down the concept of race in 2013.  It is an historical concept, but seems to have outlived its usefulness.  Prejudice is common, and we all live with some form of it, regardless of were we come from.  Acting on prejudice is a problem, and so it is best to be aware of ones prejudice and work to negate actions that may be based on that prejudice. 
     When prejudice becomes mainstream and moves in to the actions of institutions (companies, governments, schools, and any organization that has authority), if prejudice becomes embedded in the practice of this institution, the effects may be devastating.  For example, women not being allowed to attempt to gain a place in combat roles in the military means that women will not advance beyond a basic level.  If one is judged without being given a straight chance to prove their abilities, they are limited incredibly. 
        With this in mind, we come back to the question of black culture celebrated in television, magazines, and other cultural sources.  Is there anything racist about BET? A television show that demonstrates black culture is seen as a threat to the hegemony of white culture.  But why?  Is it racist?  No.  By promoting only black culture, it is not committing a crime, nor is it really threatening to hold back any white actor.  Is BET an entry point for white actors hoping to make it big, duly qualified, but unable to because the producers and execs at the channel don't find the actor to be dark enough?  Not likely to happen.  A celebration of a particular culture does not negate the pride other cultures should be allowed to feel about their own.  The KKK is more than welcome to celebrate white culture and offer up scholarships for white children.  There are white ethnic holidays (St. Patrick was not black, and neither were Lincoln and Washington, or Columbus, although he did speak Spanish). 
         So, what if we had a commercial on television dominated by white people?  Would that offend anyone?  What if we had a magazine full of white people?  What if we went in to a store and all the pictures on the walls were white?  Or just a vast majority, with a black person or Asian person tossed in to even it out, so it doesn't seem like a KKK convention?  Would it surprise anyone that the KKK has a television channel?  I just looked again, and although I won't post their link directly, it doesn't take a lot to google them.  The following is from their television channel, a section for youth. 

Andrew would like to talk to kids for a few minutes each week. He is proud to be a white Christian boy in America, but he knows that because of his minority status, the odds might be stacked against his people. Kids will enjoy hearing a few comments from Andrew as he warns them of things to watch out for because he cares!

The language attempts to mimic the voice of ethnic minorities in the American past who attempted to rally together without institutional power.  Unfortunately, Andrew does have institutional power largely on his side, and the deck is not stacked against him.  He just doesn't like to share. 
      So, no, BET is not reverse racism.  Can a black person be prejudiced against whites?  Yes.  Also very likely is prejudice against a fellow black of a different shade, suprisingly.  We are more complex in our dislikes than we are credited with being.  The real question, when dealing with racism, should be who has the power to enforce their prejudice.  You don't have to like me or what I write.  As long as you are not in my classroom, you will never have to fear whether my prejudice is being used against you.  That is truly the only realm where I have the power to use my prejudice.  Lucky for those who are in my classroom, I am very aware of my prejudice, and work hard to keep it in check.  We all live with prejudice.  The key is learning to balance your feeling with your reality.  To take a deep breath, walk up to your prejudice, put your hand out, take a risk, and pull the mask of the boogey man off.  Ultimately, if we truly believe in a just God, we believe that humans by nature are good.  So, don't be so afraid of them.  Don't look for the worst in people.  Instead, until you get burned personally, treat me as a human being.  Give me a chance to disappoint you. 

"You're Amazing. . . "

Today was a good day. . . I feel worn down, tired, and a tad bit angry.  And, as I think back about my day, I try to put my finger on why. . . Too often, we believe the negative easily, and the positive we brush off.  We spoke today in Sociology about "positive" versus "negative sanctions".  We are easily swayed by negativity.  As I look back over my day, I realize how much I have to be happy about, and it boosts my spirits.  I need to do this more often.  So, here is my positive list for the day:

Got to go to First Watch friday with friends for a department meeting. 
Jerry is coming on Thursday to revamp the old kitchen, so I don't have to do it. 
70 degree weather when I get home, and the kids out running in it. 
Try the software for Air Server, and it worked as described.
Kicked butt teaching Progressivism today.
Set up a teleconference about online learning and textbooks.
Received a $14 rebate debit card in the mail.
Fixed the stroller my wife busted, and expected to be busted for good.  In seconds.
Made my kids a play bow to hunt for dinner with. 

In the words of Ice Cube, "Today was a good day".  Remember the positive when the world comes crashing down.  You are great, and you make a difference.  Thanks for reading this. 

Life is painful.

        Reflecting on my Facebook postings, I realize things are changing. I grew up playing with toy guns that were incredibly real looking.  I grew up knowing my father served in war.  I feel I have developed empathy for gun violence, not cheering for mindless war movies.  But, I do appreciate the design and firepower of weapons.  They appeal to me.  Looking at the role of gun violence in American history, I feel a need to understand.  Why do young white men (predominately) feel the need to walk up to complete strangers and do so much damage?  I know the songs, I listen to alternative music, and teenage angst is something I remember.  I haven't been able to watch the news coverage of the shooting largely because I can't stand the thought of children that are the same age as my child will not come home.  My worlds need to be separate for my sanity, and the loss of my children would devastate me.  The classroom training for shooters versus my own children involved... that is a line I can't cross.  In this event, I refuse to try to grasp what happened.  The spin is not what I am interested in. 
        In the aftermath, this Sunday night, as the President of the United States travels to see the families, the local news broadcasts a story about an uptick in gun sales.  The line crosses my mind, and my apologies if anyone truly takes this to heart, but in my sarcastic mind, "if only those teachers/kids would have had guns."  When we see tragedy, we determine not to be a victim.  When we see pain, we turn it in to anger.  Turn the other cheek went a way a long time ago.  Our souls are tarnished, and we now embody the Punisher and Wolverine much more than Jean Grey and Captain America.  We have become the Phoenix.  Look what became of her.  Gay marriage and pornography will not destroy our culture as quickly as guns.  No, not as long as bullets are so cheap, and I have a right a civilian M-4.  Sociologically, we are all interconnected.  What is causing this phenomenon? 


Additional Note:  Survivor takes a moment for silence.  Every show has done something.  Who is this for, exactly?  And what of the others who died in the last week from gunshots?  What makes Newtown newsworthy?  The children, the number?  For me, personally, it is the age of the kids.   The proximity to my own children.  The thoughts that I don't want to have.  And, what becomes of the community in the next few weeks? When do the prayers stop? 

Wow factor.

Boy, how times have changed.  My son has a book report due this week.  No sense in waiting until the last minute to start.  Well, the book fell apart as he read it, and ended up in separate places.  When he finally buckled down to work today, he couldn't find it.  If that was me, I would have spent days looking for the book.  Instead, I taught him to use Google Books.  Putting in the name of the book (Harry Houdini) and scrolling until I recognized the cover in the images, we tracked down a digital copy of his book.  Truly, if it had been me, twenty-six years ago, I would just not have done the work if I couldn't find the book.  What a different world we live in today, and that my children will grow up in.  My son came home with outline maps of states.  I taught him to use Google Images to figure out the state, and then google "state facts" for the information the worksheet requires.  When I was a kid, we had Funk and Wagnall's encyclopedia.  I remember seeing them on sale in the super market.  Now, more knowledge than that is available to my students on their phone.  My children will grow up in a world that I can not currently envision.  My four year old is watching movies at will on my tablet.  My son is competing in a Lego's Robotics League.  I don't recognize this world.  Simply amazing.  Whatever I want to learn, I google. 

Town Hall Debate, Oct 16, 2012

Fun debate to watch.  They did get heated.  I was digging in the fridge when I heard a pop sound.  I was certain Romney went after Obama, as Obama had the mic, and was criticizing him.  They really tore in to some skin.  Going back to the 2004 debate, John Kerry vs. Bush.  I gave it to Kerry, but after the debates, when the crowd came down, they rushed Bush.  The comment afterwards was that even Democrats wanted to have a beer with Bush.  Similar event happening here.  First of all, when the families came up, the Romney family surrounded Mitt, and he was not accessible to the crowd.  That didn't look good for him.  Obama dove right in to the crowd, shaking hands.  He continues to be popular with the crowd, talking and shaking hands.  Romney is posing for a lot of pictures, and signing.  It seems the audience is leaning to Obama.  Michelle is posing and talking up well.  Ann seems alone.  Lots of Secret Service around Romney.  Candy, the moderator, was top notch.  She owned the candidates.  Romney tried to fight her early on, but she held her own.  Well played.  Everyone wants photos.  Oddly, they all have store bough disposables.  There must have been a rule about carry ins.  I see no purses, no bags, and no cameras.  Wonder if the committee for the debates bought the cameras. . . In this day and age, how do you not have a digital camera?  What a fun night.  It is now 20 minutes after the debate ended.  Obama has a crowd.  Ann is standing alone.  The audience is completely surrounding the Obamas.  Is that Romney going over to pose with Obama?  Maybe asking for an autograph.  It was interesting to hear the black guy asking Obama why he should vote for him, and what a situation everyone made of it.  His skin color owned his behavior and his comments.  We are not post racial. 

The end of the innocence. . . Thanks Don Henley, and Conventioneers

Watching the key note speakers at both conventions has been fun.  I don't remember it being as exciting when I was younger.  Both had great choices and really got the crowd fired up.  A couple of observations.  Did the Democrats have a smaller arena, allowing it to look more crowded and full?  It is a negative to see a stadium only half full on television, right, NFL?  The use of video to provide a narrative story seemed fairly effective, and was heavily used at the DNC.  Why so effective, you ask?  Well, for one thing, it is a story and we like stories.  It is rehearsed and contemplated and critiqued to death, so no accidental fumbles, Joe Biden/Eastwoodish.  The imagery has a subtle and transfixative effect so that we attach good feelings to a message as we see positive images;  carefully chosen, vetted images:  the candidate with a baby, with veterans, with farmers.  The videos tended not to argue facts, but spin a narrative, and so there is no angry statistics to confuse the audience or get the media in a frenzy providing accuracy reports.  It provides a nice break from the monotony of talking heads and teleprompters. 

The DNC spent a good deal of money bringing out signs that were preprinted with messages that reflected the speakers.  This gave a sense of unity and cohesion that cameras played on.  PBS commentators commented on the fact that workers spent part of the video, knowing cameras would focus on the video instead, passing out signs.  Most famously, they passed out the "We (heart) Michelle" placards as Mrs. Obama was preparing to enter.  The audience got very excited, and as the video came to an end, they were preprared to cheer the First Lady.  Instead, they were greeted with a military mother.  The talking head made notice of a vocal "Ohhhh....." that it wasn't Michelle coming out.

It was a tad disheartening to hear the booing about things from the audience.  Maybe it is the fact that I am at a school that really doesn't boo opponents, but I find it rather low and classless.  We are all still Americans, and it is self-destructive in my view.  The same with the "USA!  USA!" chants.  Did you expect the other convention to cheer something else?  "USSR!  USSR!"  or "Switzerland!  Switzerland!"  Again, we are all on the same team, but just differing views of the ball.  We need to refocus and realize that we are stronger when united, and even in defeat, can remain respectful.